Magic Meets Innocence
by InnocentHoneyDew
Summary: Harry Potter and his friends become suspicious when students from the Order of the Rose Cross Academy arrive at Hogwarts. And that isn't the only unusual thing; what is bothering Snape so much? Rated T just to be safe.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or -Man

Prologue

(Severus Snape POV)

I didn't want this. This wasn't part of the plan. She wasn't supposed to die. He promised. They both promised. No-one was supposed to die; they were supposed to be safe. This wasn't meant to happen. Why? Why would my Lord do this!? My Lord knew of my love for Lily Evans, and yet he still proceeded to kill her, and her family, knowing what that would do to me.

I should have known. **He** didn't care about his followers. **He **controlled them with fear, and fear alone. Some may have respected him, but they're as messed up as he is. Take the LeStranges' for example. But as one of his top men (supposedly), I thought that my Lord had had at least a little compassion put aside for me. I was proved wrong. I even stooped so low as to ask him to spare her life, in exchange for the boys'. Dumbledore's reaction was no surprise to me when I relayed this particular piece of information, as I had been thinking the same thing.

I believed Dumbledore would keep them safe. I believed my Lord would spare her life.

That is the reason I sit here at this moment, in front of the graves of James and Lily Potter in Godric's Hollow, though I'm only here for Lily. I loved her with all my heart.

Talking with Dumbledore has eased my suffering somewhat, as I now can see what resembles a future, but I wish she were here. With me, preferably, but I just wish she were among the living.

"Come back to me, my dear Lily..." I sob.

"That can be arranged~ 3..." a strange voice behind me says. I jump and spin around. Walking towards me is a large man, a huge smile plastered on his face, and wearing a top hat with what appears to be roses wound around the base. He carried with him a pink umbrella topped with a small pumpkin.

"Who... Who are you?" the words come out shakier than I would have liked, and I'm not proud that I stuttered. "Why are you here?"

"This is a public cemetery, is it not? I also came to see you, Severus Snape~ 3" he sounds too happy for a visit to a cemetery. And that smile is kind of unnerving.

The last part of that sentence finally sinks in, and I blink up at him.

"Me?" I ask, stunned. "Why would you be coming to see me? I don't know you, do I?"

"We have not yet met face to face, I admit, but I have heard a lot about you from your 'Lord'~ 3" his smile remains, but his tone of voice has changed slightly. "Before his disappearance, that is~ 3" It frustrates me that I can't identify that tone, so I continue on with the conversation.

"My Lord had been speaking of me to strangers? Of what had you been discussing?" I'm beginning to lose patience. I came here to grieve for my lost love, alone. I did not come here to be bothered by this strange man.

"Oh, this and that~" he says, "He told me that you had quite a thing for the women whose grave you are sitting by~ 3"

At this, I get angry. Who does he think he is? However, as I begin to rise to my feet, he says some that has me frozen on the spot.

"What if I told you that I could bring her back~ 3..."

My legs give way beneath me, and I find myself on the floor again. Is what this man says true? Could he really-?

No! How can I even be entertaining that thought? I've grown up with magic, and I know for a fact that what he is saying is not possible. There is neither spell nor potion that can bring a person back from the dead that I have heard of. That is because none exists. But what if it's true? What if this man had discovered some new spell, or created a potion from a combination that no-one had thought of before.

My attention was brought back to the man in front of me when out of the ground came what appeared to be a grey skeleton. It was attached to some sort of frame, and appeared to be wearing a helmet.

"What is that?" I ask the still smiling man. Then I realise something; he still hasn't told me who he is. All I know of him is that he has conferred with the Lord. "You still have not told me who you are, exactly, and how did you know my Lord?"

"Ah~ yes. My apologies, it slipped my mind. My full title is the Earl of Millennium, but you can just call me the Millennium Earl. And this, my dear Severus, is what I will use to bring your beloved Lily back into this world, back from the wretched God that took her from you! 3" he smiles even wider, "Insert a soul into this device, and that person will be revived! All I need from you is for you to call her back down from 'heaven'~ 3"

I stare at him in disbelief. "... And how exactly would I do that?" I tell myself that I don't believe what this man is saying, and I don't what to. But what have I got to lose? Nothing is the answer. So I'll humour him for now, and see where this encounter will go. Maybe it will be amusing, like those muggle 'psychics' that claim that they can speak with the dead.

"All you have to do is call her name with all of your heart~ 3" is his answer.

I stare at him incredulously. Is this really his answer? I will look a fool! I look around; no-one is here that I can see. I look back at the man's expectant face, and think _why not? It's not as if anyone I know will hear about this_ with this thought I take a deep breath.

"Long time no see, Millennium Earl..."

I spin round and see a tall man with extremely long, red hair, a white mask covering the right side of his face, and wearing what appears to be some kind of uniform, black with gold trimmings. What really catches my eye though, is not the gun pointed directly at the Earl, but the solid gold cross that adorned the others chest. It was beautiful. Much like a rose.

I was pulled out of my musings when I heard a gunshot, and the skeleton that was now behind me exploded. The mystery man had obviously grown tired of talking with the Earl, it seemed.

"Hey, greasy, if you don't want to die right now, I'd move out of my way. You're obstructing my view of the Earl, and my bullets cannot curve in midair. I will not hesitate to shoot, even if you stand right in front of me" the man growls in my direction. I don't doubt that he will do exactly as he has just said, so I run in the opposite direction.

Hiding behind some grave stones some 20 feet away from the two, I can just about hear their conversation, seeing as they are talking so loudly. Peeking out from behind the grave stone, I see the two facing off with each other. The grey skeleton from before lays in pieces around the Earl's feet, and the mystery man's gun is still pointed in the Earl's direction.

"Do I know you?~ 3" The Earl's voice has taken on a sinister tone, but his smile is still in place. I find this the most disturbing of all. "I'm quite horrific when it comes to remembering names~ 3"

The red head smirks, although there is no hint of humour in his voice, "I can think of quite a few more things that you do that can be called 'horrific', Earl"

"You are a General... Ah, I remember! How could I have forgotten~ you seem to show up a lot unannounced. You cost me another akuma only two weeks ago! General Cross Marian, wasn't it?~ 3" His eyes have become slanted and bloodshot, and a dangerous aura has begun to surround him.

"Oh, so you do remember? Good. That saves making pointless introductions. Let's make this quick, I have a woman waiting for me. You can't keep a woman waiting for too long, and I have my own needs. You wouldn't know though, would you, Earl?" At this, the air became heavy, and what little light had been present in the cemetery was extinguished.

"You have become a nuisance. Let's hope that this does not become a bad habit of yours~ 3" Cold words escape from his still smirking mouth.

At this point, I decide that the cemetery is now too dangerous a place to be at this time, and silently apologize to Lily, and promise that I will visit again and repair any damage that is likely to be inflicted. As I reach the edge of the cemetery, I hear an explosion, and turn around to see that the fight had now moved to the rooftops of nearby houses.

I make my decision and turn from the scene, with one destination in mind. Less than half an hour ago, I'd wanted to be as far away from this person, and that place, as possible, but now, all I know that is I need to tell someone. And Albus Dumbledore was the best person to tell.

Once outside of the town's perimeter, I apparated to the outskirts of the first place I could think of where he would be...

(Albus Dumbledore's POV)

_I have a bad feeling about tonight_ I thought, as I sat at my desk in my office in Hogwarts. Only a day has passed since the tragic deaths of James and Lily Potter, and the disappearance of Lord Voldemort. Harry has had to go and live with his muggle aunt and uncle. That is the safest place for him at this moment in time, and will be up until he turns seventeen.

I do not believe that Lord Voldemort is gone forever. No. All who believe that are fools, but I can, however, understand that belief.

Hope.

People want to hope that he is gone for good, after all of the chaos and carnage that he caused, all of the deaths, but I can't shake the feeling that he will return one day, stronger than ever. I hope beyond hope that I am wrong, but I don't think I am.

And I hope that by that time, Harry will be ready. We will be here to guide him, but ultimately, he may have to face this alone.

As I think this, I hear a frantic knocking on the office door.

"Dumbledore! Dumbledore!" Comes the terrified whisper of who I vaguely recognise as Severus Snape, through the door.

"Enter, Severus" I say, my voice uneasy. What has scared him so?

When he enters, he is covered in dirt, and is paler than a ghost. His hair is sticking up at odd angles, and his normally pristine robes have tears all over them. I stand up from behind my desk and rush over to him.

"Severus! What has happened to you?" I ask in a worried tone.

What he tells me had happened to him is quite unbelievable, but I cannot imagine what else apart from what he is describing, would have affected him so.

"What shall we do, Dumbledore?" he asks. He has calmed down considerably, and is sitting in the seat on the other side of my desk.

I think back to his description of this 'Millennium Earl' and this supposed 'General', and try to recall anything that I might have come across over my long years on this earth. Unfortunately, I do not recall any mention of the Earl of Millennium, or his 'akuma'.

"I do not know, Severus" I say. He looks at me, surprised. I hide my smile, now is not the time to be amused by other peoples' faith in me. "I will research this Millennium Earl and his akuma, and let you know if I come across anything. This sounds completely different to what we may have faced before, so it is not surprising that neither of us have heard of the terms that these people use. I will also try to find mention of anything that is related to this Rose Cross that you saw on the General's uniform"

I smile slightly at him, "Do not worry, Severus. They are gone, and I am here for you"

He gives me a grateful smile, and takes a sip of the tea he had been holding on to very tightly. I then have a brilliant idea, and smile even brighter at him. I think he may need some companionship after the last few days that he has had, and I am happy to give it to him.

"Severus, why don't you come teach here, at Hogwarts..."

Hey! I hope you liked it, it's my first story. I really hope that I wrote everyone in character :/ let me know if not! Constructive criticism is appreciated, but flames are not. So, if something is wrong, please tell me how I can improve!

I always wondered what it would be like if Snape was approached by the Earl after Lily's death. It was going to be a one-shot, but then this happened, and I had to write it down. I really, really do hope that you like it.

Also, any suggestions are welcome! This prologue was all about Snape, but the Golden Trio and Allen and Co. will be in next chapter :) just wanted to set the mood, y'know?

Let me know if you want any pairings or not, at this point it could go either way.

Review, if you want to. Or PM me :) thank you for reading!

See ya next chapter~!

InnocentHoneyDew~ 3


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